Facilities Management Services Feature Library

Operations Engineer's library catalogues editorial features going back five years.

Access to all archive material is free to all, including non-members of IPlantE (the Institution of Operations Engineers) or BES (Bureau of Engineer Surveyors), under the umbrella of SOE (Society of Operations Engineers). However, to discover the many benefits of becoming an SOE member, please click here.

01/11/2019 Let there be light Solar lighting sounds like an oxymoron, but the rapidly decreasing cost of photovoltaic cells for solar power and growing lighting efficiency makes it a viable option – particularly where mains electricity is difficult to find » Read More

01/11/2019 Job done A maintenance department may range from a single operative to a full team of personnel. Keeping on top of pending, upcoming and surprise tasks can be made easier by displaying and sharing information » Read More

07/10/2019 Fighting a lost cause How do you keep track of assets that could be easily lost or pilfered on a large or complex site: too big to sit on a shelf, but too small to be permanently installed. OE examines the technological options » Read More

06/09/2019 Solar powering industry High-temperature solar power has been used in a demonstration project to produce liquid hydrocarbons from CO2 and water. This breakthrough is expected to lead to new renewable solutions from energy-intensive industries » Read More

06/09/2019 Motion picture Typical conveyors used in industrial settings include belt systems and over-head systems. But what about static conveyor systems? OE looks at some non-moving conveyor innovations already on the market » Read More

05/08/2019 A Swiss summit Infor held its Third Annual EAM European Summit at CERN in June. OE’s deputy editor discovered more about asset management at the research centre, while getting up close with its first accelerator, the Synchrocyclotron » Read More

05/08/2019 Absolute safety… the impossible dream Something akin to an industry consensus may be emerging when it comes to establishing holistic cyber security right across the supply chain. But with whom does liability rest when chasing that goal? » Read More

05/08/2019 Hacked off As IT (information technology) systems and OT (operational technology) systems advance, so too are cyber-attacks. Having some knowledge on common attacker methods can go a long way » Read More

05/08/2019 Crime stoppers Cybercrime is usually associated with financial services. However, with plant and control systems being increasingly connected, facilities and industrial operations are under equal threat. Could certification schemes aid industrial ... » Read More

08/05/2019 A clean start A spotless, well-maintained HVAC system not only reduces overheads, but also conserves natural resources by reducing energy and water consumption » Read More

05/02/2019 Raising the game Many commercial and industrial processes present widely variable or even intermittent demands for steam. Operations engineers looking to reduce costs and improve efficiency, whilst keeping emissions to a minimum, are turning to the ... » Read More

05/12/2018 On the edge of tomorrow Sensors mounted in and around lift components provide data that can give early warning of potential problems. This speeds up the process of diagnosis and repair, helping to improve reliability and minimise downtime » Read More

02/11/2018 Driven round the bend While the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, conveyor systems must sometimes adapt to plant facility and operational constraints, which means changes in level and direction. We set out the fundamentals of conveyor ... » Read More

17/10/2018 Fire safety – after Grenfell In the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy, building inspectors and engineering surveyors must now assess the degree of fire protection in similar buildings. Brian Wall asks: Without adequate blueprints or records to fall back on, how are ... » Read More

17/10/2018 Colliding with fatbergs in FOG Technical guidance about the sizing and use of industrial grease traps is needed to combat the modern fatberg epidemic, according to a new industry association. Penny Hitchin dives in » Read More

16/10/2018 Arc-breaker on the way New recommendations to install Arc Fault Detection Devices (AFDDs) in final AC circuits are aimed at cutting the chances of an electrical fi re in higher-risk locations. It’s early days, but the benefits of installing AFDDs are already ... » Read More

21/08/2018 Signs of danger Oil & Gas UK held its Safety 30 conference in June to mark three decades since the Piper Alpha disaster. Lord Cullen, who conducted the inquiry into the tragedy, used the conference to illustrate how ‘signs of danger’ need to be recognised ... » Read More

02/07/2018 IoT in energy Utility and energy companies are keen to advance towards Internet of Things solutions, research shows. However, there are also some key challenges that need to be faced, as Adam Offord reports » Read More

28/02/2018 Spring cleaning Keeping machinery and work areas clean and tidy can often be seen as a chore by already busy workers. However, as Chris Beck discovers, the benefits of a good cleaning regime are wide-reaching » Read More

28/12/2017 Hindering hackers Research suggests that companies, including manufacturers, acknowledge cyber threats are a risk to their business, but many are unprepared. Adam Offord asks what steps UK manufacturers can take to improve their cyber security and mitigate ... » Read More

28/12/2017 Safeguarding palletisers in the workplace Palletisers are some of the most widespread machine types in manufacturing and serious injuries occur on them each year. Paul Taylor, manager for machinery safety at TÜV SÜD Product Service, explains how to ensure their safe operation. » Read More

26/08/2017 Powering the plant Today’s under-pressure facilities managers have to become smarter than ever before to keep abreast of the ever-changing challenges of the role, as Chris Beck explains » Read More

01/07/2014 Court in the act Attending court, whether as defendant, plaintive or expert witness, can be a chastening experience. Brian Tinham talks to INITA's Jim Haire about a recent training event » Read More

19/05/2014 Carrying the can and doing a lot more besides Conveyors are capable of far more than simply moving raw materials, components and assemblies around a factory. They can also count, weigh, sort and feed workstations... and they can have a positive impact on quality and health & safety. ... » Read More

14/12/2013 Taking the credit To the excessively cautious, buying on credit is like getting drunk – the buzz comes immediately and gives you a lift, but the hangover that follows can be painfully debilitating. Ian Vallely dishes out the paracetamol » Read More